The impact of the federal government workplace changes on newsagents was raised by Sophie Mirabella in parliament on Monday night. Click here to read a copy of her speech.
Distribution newsagents ought to contact their local members and ensure that they are as well briefed as Sophie Mirabella on this issue.
We had the shadow Minister for small business in the shop recently and we raised a number of issues with him (Post Office, delivery costs etc) and we will be submitting a paper to him on these subjects. He seemed surprised and unaware of the difficulties Newsagents and small business face. We will post any results. Maybe now is the time to get behind and push the barrow.
MARK
How is it that Australia Post can employ their mail delivery persons as contractors?
Surely, Newsagents can employ delivery drivers as contractors. What is the difference?
Greg,
Contractor law dictates that if the contractor gains the majority of their income from one source then they can have dificulty convicing the ATO that they are a contractor. The way around for some agents would be to pool the drivers in some locations so that one contractor type driver works for maybe two or three agents. Granted learning the runs would be a challenge but it seems to me that it would provide some cetainty to the individual driver and a lot of flexibility to the agents.
So to answer your question – you can employ them as contractors but if you are the sole employer then they will have their status challenged.
The implications of these changes are significant, all newsagents should be in contact with their local member and lobbying for changes to be made. What action are the ANF and State Associations taking on this matter?? This matter requires urgent attention, as it will effect nearly all delivery newsagents.
Greg, AP Contractors are required to become companies that’s how they get around it so if you are not prepared to become a company then on contract.
sorry, No contract
Australia Post also put the delivery business out to tender. this perhaps implies that they are not employees but contractors??
Off topic, sorry.
But speaking of changes in delivery modes, has anyone noticed, on its debut, that the Gold Coast Bulletin could be a nightmare to deliver for some of us?
New masthead only takes up half of the width of the page. This may not be an issue for some whose ways of organising their papers (in the dark) can accommodate. However for us, it’s potentially a pain.
Only solution I can come up with is to roll it from the front, so the back page logo is visible. Providing no other papers decide to change their back page and add a blue square.
I wonder if the publisher had thought of such implications?
Oh, and I can see now why the Tweed Daily News was so excited about their recent new colours. Well, the rep was, anyway.
They’re virtually identical to the GCB, which leads me to wonder whether they’ve gone halvies in the drum of orange ink they found on the side of the road one dark night. Imagine such a find 😉 😀